86R23078 TSR-F
 
  By: Smith H.B. No. 4704
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of the Double M Municipal Utility District
  of Grayson County; granting a limited power of eminent domain;
  providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose
  assessments, fees, and taxes.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle F, Title 6, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended by adding Chapter 8314 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 8314.  DOUBLE M MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT OF GRAYSON
  COUNTY
  SUBCHAPTER A.  GENERAL PROVISIONS
         Sec. 8314.0101.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
               (1)  "Board" means the district's board of directors.
               (2)  "City" means the City of Gunter, Texas.
               (3)  "Commission" means the Texas Commission on
  Environmental Quality.
               (4)  "Director" means a board member.
               (5)  "District" means the Double M Municipal Utility
  District of Grayson County.
         Sec. 8314.0102.  NATURE OF DISTRICT.  The district is a
  municipal utility district created under Section 59, Article XVI,
  Texas Constitution.
         Sec. 8314.0103.  CONFIRMATION AND DIRECTOR ELECTION
  REQUIRED.  The temporary directors shall hold an election to
  confirm the creation of the district and to elect five permanent
  directors as provided by Section 49.102, Water Code.
         Sec. 8314.0104.  CONSENT OF MUNICIPALITY REQUIRED. The
  temporary directors may not hold an election under Section
  8314.0103 until each municipality in whose corporate limits or
  extraterritorial jurisdiction the district is located has:
               (1)  consented by ordinance or resolution to the
  creation of the district and to the inclusion of land in the
  district; and
               (2)  approved and entered into a development agreement
  with the owners of land within the district under Section 212.172,
  Local Government Code.
         Sec. 8314.0105.  FINDINGS OF PUBLIC PURPOSE AND BENEFIT.
  (a)  The district is created to serve a public purpose and benefit.
         (b)  The district is created to accomplish the purposes of:
               (1)  a municipal utility district as provided by
  general law and Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution; and
               (2)  Section 52, Article III, Texas Constitution, that
  relate to the construction, acquisition, improvement, operation,
  or maintenance of macadamized, graveled, or paved roads, or
  improvements, including storm drainage, in aid of those roads.
         Sec. 8314.0106.  INITIAL DISTRICT TERRITORY.  (a)  The
  district is initially composed of the territory described by
  Section 2 of the Act enacting this chapter.
         (b)  The boundaries and field notes contained in Section 2 of
  the Act enacting this chapter form a closure.  A mistake made in the
  field notes or in copying the field notes in the legislative process
  does not affect the district's:
               (1)  organization, existence, or validity;
               (2)  right to issue any type of bond for the purposes
  for which the district is created or to pay the principal of and
  interest on a bond;
               (3)  right to impose a tax; or
               (4)  legality or operation.
         Sec. 8314.0107.  ANNEXATION BY CITY. Notwithstanding any
  other law, if any of the territory of the district is annexed by the
  city into the city's corporate limits, the district:
               (1)  retains all of the district's outstanding debt and
  obligations; and
               (2)  is not dissolved.
  SUBCHAPTER B.  BOARD OF DIRECTORS
         Sec. 8314.0201.  GOVERNING BODY; TERMS.  (a)  The district is
  governed by a board of five elected directors.
         (b)  Except as provided by Section 8314.0202, directors
  serve staggered four-year terms.
         Sec. 8314.0202.  TEMPORARY DIRECTORS.  (a)  On or after
  September 1, 2019, the owner or owners of a majority of the assessed
  value of the real property in the district may submit a petition to
  the commission requesting that the commission appoint as temporary
  directors the five persons named in the petition.  The commission
  shall appoint as temporary directors the five persons named in the
  petition.
         (b)  Temporary directors serve until the earlier of:
               (1)  the date permanent directors are elected under
  Section 8314.0103; or
               (2)  September 1, 2023.
         (c)  If permanent directors have not been elected under
  Section 8314.0103 and the terms of the temporary directors have
  expired, successor temporary directors shall be appointed or
  reappointed as provided by Subsection (d) to serve terms that
  expire on the earlier of:
               (1)  the date permanent directors are elected under
  Section 8314.0103; or
               (2)  the fourth anniversary of the date of the
  appointment or reappointment.
         (d)  If Subsection (c) applies, the owner or owners of a
  majority of the assessed value of the real property in the district
  may submit a petition to the commission requesting that the
  commission appoint as successor temporary directors the five
  persons named in the petition.  The commission shall appoint as
  successor temporary directors the five persons named in the
  petition.
  SUBCHAPTER C.  POWERS AND DUTIES
         Sec. 8314.0301.  GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES.  The district
  has the powers and duties necessary to accomplish the purposes for
  which the district is created.
         Sec. 8314.0302.  MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT POWERS AND
  DUTIES. (a) The district has the powers and duties provided by the
  general law of this state, including Chapters 49 and 54, Water Code,
  applicable to municipal utility districts created under Section 59,
  Article XVI, Texas Constitution.
         (b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the district may not
  act as a retail provider of water or wastewater service.
         (c)  The district shall make the district's water and
  wastewater facilities available to an entity holding the applicable
  certificate of public convenience and necessity.
         Sec. 8314.0303.  AUTHORITY FOR ROAD PROJECTS. Under Section
  52, Article III, Texas Constitution, the district may design,
  acquire, construct, finance, issue bonds for, improve, operate,
  maintain, and convey to this state, a county, or a municipality for
  operation and maintenance macadamized, graveled, or paved roads, or
  improvements, including storm drainage, in aid of those roads.
         Sec. 8314.0304.  ROAD STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS. (a) A
  road project must meet all applicable construction standards,
  zoning and subdivision requirements, and regulations of each
  municipality in whose corporate limits or extraterritorial
  jurisdiction the road project is located.
         (b)  If a road project is not located in the corporate limits
  or extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality, the road
  project must meet all applicable construction standards,
  subdivision requirements, and regulations of each county in which
  the road project is located.
         (c)  If the state will maintain and operate the road, the
  Texas Transportation Commission must approve the plans and
  specifications of the road project.
         Sec. 8314.0305.  COMPLIANCE WITH MUNICIPAL CONSENT
  ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION.  The district shall comply with all
  applicable requirements of any ordinance or resolution that is
  adopted under Section 54.016 or 54.0165, Water Code, and that
  consents to the creation of the district or to the inclusion of land
  in the district.
         Sec. 8314.0306.  DIVISION OF DISTRICT. (a)  The district may
  be divided into two or more new districts only if the district:
               (1)  has no outstanding bonded debt; and
               (2)  is not imposing ad valorem taxes.
         (b)  This chapter applies to any new district created by the
  division of the district, and a new district has all the powers and
  duties of the district.
         (c)  Any new district created by the division of the district
  may not, at the time the new district is created, contain any land
  outside the area described by Section 2 of the Act enacting this
  chapter.
         (d)  The board, on its own motion or on receipt of a petition
  signed by the owner or owners of a majority of the assessed value of
  the real property in the district, may adopt an order dividing the
  district.
         (e)  The board may adopt an order dividing the district
  before or after the date the board holds an election under Section
  8314.0103 to confirm the district's creation.
         (f)  An order dividing the district shall:
               (1)  name each new district;
               (2)  include the metes and bounds description of the
  territory of each new district;
               (3)  appoint temporary directors for each new district;
  and
               (4)  provide for the division of assets and liabilities
  between or among the new districts.
         (g)  On or before the 30th day after the date of adoption of
  an order dividing the district, the district shall file the order
  with the commission and record the order in the real property
  records of each county in which the district is located.
         (h)  Any new district created by the division of the district
  shall hold a confirmation and directors' election as required by
  Section 8314.0103.  If the voters of a new district do not confirm
  the creation of the new district, the assets, obligations,
  territory, and governance of the new district revert to the
  original district.
         (i)  Municipal consent to the creation of the district and to
  the inclusion of land in the district granted under Section
  8314.0104 acts as municipal consent to the creation of any new
  district created by the division of the district and to the
  inclusion of land in the new district.
         (j)  Any new district created by the division of the district
  must hold an election as required by this chapter to obtain voter
  approval before the district may impose a maintenance tax or issue
  bonds payable wholly or partly from ad valorem taxes.
  SUBCHAPTER D.  GENERAL FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
         Sec. 8314.0401.  ELECTIONS REGARDING TAXES OR BONDS. (a)
  The district may issue, without an election, bonds and other
  obligations secured by:
               (1)  revenue other than ad valorem taxes; or
               (2)  contract payments described by Section 8314.0403.
         (b)  The district must hold an election in the manner
  provided by Chapters 49 and 54, Water Code, to obtain voter approval
  before the district may impose an ad valorem tax or issue bonds
  payable from ad valorem taxes.
         (c)  The district may not issue bonds payable from ad valorem
  taxes to finance a road project unless the issuance is approved by a
  vote of a two-thirds majority of the district voters voting at an
  election held for that purpose.
         Sec. 8314.0402.  OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE TAX.  (a)  If
  authorized at an election held under Section 8314.0401, the
  district may impose an operation and maintenance tax on taxable
  property in the district in accordance with Section 49.107, Water
  Code.
         (b)  The board shall determine the tax rate.  The rate may not
  exceed the rate approved at the election.
         Sec. 8314.0403.  CONTRACT TAXES.  (a)  In accordance with
  Section 49.108, Water Code, the district may impose a tax other than
  an operation and maintenance tax and use the revenue derived from
  the tax to make payments under a contract after the provisions of
  the contract have been approved by a majority of the district voters
  voting at an election held for that purpose.
         (b)  A contract approved by the district voters may contain a
  provision stating that the contract may be modified or amended by
  the board without further voter approval.
  SUBCHAPTER E.  BONDS AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS
         Sec. 8314.0501.  AUTHORITY TO ISSUE BONDS AND OTHER
  OBLIGATIONS.  The district may issue bonds or other obligations
  payable wholly or partly from ad valorem taxes, impact fees,
  revenue, contract payments, grants, or other district money, or any
  combination of those sources, to pay for any authorized district
  purpose.
         Sec. 8314.0502.  TAXES FOR BONDS. At the time the district
  issues bonds payable wholly or partly from ad valorem taxes, the
  board shall provide for the annual imposition of a continuing
  direct ad valorem tax, without limit as to rate or amount, while all
  or part of the bonds are outstanding as required and in the manner
  provided by Sections 54.601 and 54.602, Water Code.
         Sec. 8314.0503.  BONDS FOR ROAD PROJECTS. At the time of
  issuance, the total principal amount of bonds or other obligations
  issued or incurred to finance road projects and payable from ad
  valorem taxes may not exceed one-fourth of the assessed value of the
  real property in the district.
         SECTION 2.  The Double M Municipal Utility District of
  Grayson County initially includes all the territory contained in
  the following area:
         TRACT 2 ID 134711 & 271594
         Situated I the County of Grayson, State of Texas, being part
  of the Robert Mason Survey, Abstract No. 784, and the William
  Richard Survey, Abstract No. 998, being all of Blocks Twenty three
  (23), Twenty Four (24), and part of Block Twenty Five (25) of "The
  Gunter Farms" as shown by plat of re3cord in Volume 203, Page 272,
  Deed Records, Grayson County, Texas, being all of a tract of land
  described as being 117.2 acres in Tract No. 18 (Block 23 of The
  Gunter Farms), all of a tract of land described as being 60 acres in
  Tract No. 23 9part of Block 24 of the Gunter Farms), part of a
  146.00 acre tract of land described in Tract No. 34, all of a tract
  of land described as 77.74 acres in Tract No. 35 (part of Block 25
  of The Gunter Farms) and all of tract of land described as being
  66.68 acres in Tract No. 36 (part of Block 24 of The Gunter Farms)
  in deed from the Nelson Bunker Hunt Trust Estate to Land Owners
  General Partner, Inc., dated September 30, 1988, recorded in Volume
  2004, Page 268, Real Property Records, Grayson County, Texas, and
  being more particularly described by metes and bounds as follows
  to-wit:
         BEGINNING at a set spike nail and flasher in the center of a
  North/South public road Scharff Road, and on the West line of said
  Mason Survey, said nail maintaining the northwest corner of both
  said 117.2 acre tract, and Block 23 of The Gunter Farms;
         THENCE North 89 deg. 49 min. 31 sec. East, with the North line
  of said Block 23, passing a fence corner post on the East side of
  said road, and continuing with the general course of a fence, at
  approximately 1000ft, passing the end of said fence and continuing
  for a total distance of 1946.920 feet to a set 1 inch steel rod for
  the Northeast corner of both said 117.2 acre tract and Block 23;
         THENCE South 00 deg. 14 min. 41 sec. East, with the East line
  of Block 23, at a distance, at a distance of 37.0 ft. passing a fence
  corner post, and continuing with the general course of a fence for a
  total distance of 1650.73 feet to an angle point in said fence;
         THENCE South 00 deg. 24 min, 09 sec. West, continuing with the
  East line of Block 23, the general course of said fence, at a
  distance of 944 ft. passing a fence corner post at a turn to the
  Southwest in said fence, and continuing for a total distance of
  1050.85 feet to a set spike nail and flasher in the center of an
  East/West public road known as Stiff Chapel Road, and on the North
  line of both said 66.68 acre tract and Block 24 of the Gunter Farms,
  said nail maintaining the Southeast corner of both said 117.2 acre
  tract and Block 23;
         THENCE North 89 deg. 19 min. 42 sec. East, with the North line
  of said 66.68 acre tract and Block 24 of of the Gunter Farms,
  passing their Northeast corner, the Northwest corner of both said
  77.74 acre tract and Block 25 of the Gunter Farms, and continuing
  for a total distance of 1999.78 feet to a set spike nail and flasher
  for the Northeast corner of both said 77.74 acre tract and Block 25;
         THENCE South 02 deg. 14 min. 09 sec. East, with the general
  course of a fence maintaining the East line of both said 77.74 acre
  tract and Block 5, a distance of 1586.76 feet to a point in a pond;
         Thence South 00 deg. 59 min. 34 sec. West, continuing with the
  general course of said fence, the East line of both said 77.74 acre
  tract and Block 25, a distance of 719.96 feet to a fence corner post
  in concrete maintaining the Southeast corner of said 77.74 acre
  tract, the Northeast corner of a 25 2/3 acre Less & EXPECTED in said
  Tract No.35;
         THENCE South 88 deg. 52 min. 42 sec. West, with the general
  course of a fence maintaining the South line of said 77.74 acre
  tract, passing an all corner of Block 25, and continuing with a
  South line of Block 25, passing its most Westerly Southwest corner,
  the Southeast of both said 66.68 acre tract and Block 24 of Gunter
  Farms, and Continuing for a total distance of 2372.36 feet to an
  angle point in said fence.
         THENCE South 86 deg. 54 min. 19 sec. West, Continuing with the
  general course of said fence, the South line of both said 66.68 acre
  tract and Block 24, passing their Southwest corner of the West line
  of aid Mason Survey, the East line of said Richards Survey, the most
  Easterly Southeast corner of said 145.00 acre tract, and continuing
  for a total distance of 2370.47 feet to a 4 inch dia. Pipe fence
  corner post in concrete on a West line of said 146.00 acre tract;
         THENCE North 02 deg. 35 min. 21 sec. West, with the general
  course of a fence maintaining a West line of said 146.00 acre tract,
  passing a fence corner post on the South side of the above mentioned
  Stiff Chapel Road, and continuing for a total distance of 2354.25
  feet to a set spike nail and flasher in the center of said road, said
  nail maintaining the most Northerly Northwest corner of said 146.00
  acre tract;
         THENCE North 86 deg. 27 min. 26 sec. East, with the center of
  said road, the North line of said 146.00 acre tract, a distance of
  971.12 feet to a set spike nail and flasher at the intersection of
  the center of said road with the center of the above mentioned
  Scharff Road on the East line of said Richards Survey, the West line
  of the said Mason Survey, said nail maintaining the Northwest
  corner of Block 24, the Southwest corner of Block 23 of the Gunter
  Farms;
         THENCE North 01 deg. 30 min. 00 sec. West, with the enter of
  said Scharff Road, the West line of said Mason Survey, the West line
  of said Block 23, a distance of 2742.74 feet to the place beginning
  and containing 374.17 acre of land, more or less.
         TRACT 3 ID 134810
         All that certain tract or parcel of land situated in the
  William Richards Survey, Abstract Number 998, County of Grayson,
  State of Texas; said tract being all of a called 160 acre tract as
  described in Tract 21, and all of a called acre tract as described
  in Tract 22 in Substitute Trustee's Deed to John Hancock Mutual Life
  Insurance Co., dated 07 July 192, and Recorded I Volume 2220 Page
  297 of the Deed Records of the County of Grayson, State of Texas,
  and being more fully described as follows:
         BEGINNING for the southwest corner of the tract being
  described herein at a found 1/2 inch steel square tubing, said
  tubing being the southwest corner of said Tract 22, the southeast
  corner of tract 15, and the northeast corner of a called 76.73 acre
  tract as shown by Deed to Erwin Jaresh, dated 06 November 1963, and
  Recorded in Volume 992 Page 516 of said Deed Records, said tubing
  also being in the center4 line of Stiff Chapel Road (a gravel
  surfaced public road, and the center line of Jaresh Road (a gravel
  surfaced public road):
         THENCE North 01 degrees 04 minute 00 seconds West, with the
  west line of said Tract 22, and with the east line of said tract 15,
  a distance of 2663.33 feet to a found 1/2 inch Rebar for northwest
  corner of said Tract 22, the northeast corner of tract 15, and the
  southwest corner of tract 20 of said John Hancock Deed;
         THENCE North 88 degrees 48 minutes 47 seconds East, with the
  North line of said Tract 21 and 22, and the south line of said tract
  20, a distance of 3725.83 feet to as set 1/2 inch square tubing for
  the northeast corner of said Tract 21, and the southeast corner of
  said tract 29, and Scharff Road.
         THENCE South 01 degrees 16 minutes 42 seconds East, with the
  east line of said Tract 21, and in said Scharff Road, a distance of
  2643.27 feet to a found 1/2 inch steel square tubing for the
  southeast corner of said Tract 21;
         THENCE South 87 degrees 39 minutes 40 seconds West, with the
  South line said Tract 21, and in said Stiff Chapel Road, a distance
  of 970.94 feet to a found 1/2 inch steel square tubing for a corner;
         THENCE South 87 degrees 58 minutes 20 seconds West, with the
  South line of said Tract 21 and 22, a distance of 2135.72 feet to a
  found Spike Nail for a corner.
         THENCE South 89 degrees 47 minutes 50 seconds West, with the
  south line of said Tract 22, and in said road a distance of 629.46
  feet to the POINT OF NEGINNING and containing 227.268 acres of land
         TRACT 5 ID 134710
         All that certain tract or parcel of land situated in the
  Robert Mason Survey, Abstract Number 784, County of Grayson, State
  of Texas; said tract being all of a called 153.7 acre tract as
  described in Tract 24, and all of a called 25.66 acre tract as
  described in Tract 25 in the Substitute Trustee's Deed to John
  Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co., dated 07 July 1992, and Recorded
  in Volume 2220 Page 297 of the Deed Records of County of Grayson,
  State of Texas, and being more fully described as follows:
         BEGINNING for the southwest corner of the tract being
  described herein at a found 1/2 inch rebar by a wood fence corner
  post, said rebar being the southwest corner o said Tract 25, and the
  northwest corner of a called 112.268 acre tract as shown by Deed to
  The Calla Lillie Dickie Family Trust, dated September 1990, and
  Recorded in Volume 2116 Page 696 of said Deed Records;
         THENCE North 02 degrees 33 minutes 15 seconds West, with the
  west line of said Tract 25, a distance of 960.89 feet to a Cross-Tie
  fence corner post on the south line of a Tract 35 of said John
  Hancock Deed;
         THENCE North 89 degrees 55 minutes 32 seconds East, with the
  north line of said Tract 25, and with the south line of said Tract
  35, a distance of 1185.26 feet to a set 1/2 inch rebar for the
  northeast corner of said Tract 25, and the southeast corner of said
  Tract 35, and on the west line of said Tract 24;
         THENCE North 02 degrees 14 minutes 17 seconds East, with the
  west line of said Tract 24, and the east line of said Tract 35, a
  distance of 279.28 feet to a wood fence corner post for a corner;
         THENCE North 00 degrees 16 minutes 13 seconds East, with the
  west line of said Tract 24, and the east line of said Tract 35, a
  distance of 428.41 feet to a metal T-Post fence corner post for a
  corner.
         THENCE North 00 degrees 31 minutes 40 seconds West, with the
  west line of said Tract 24, and the east line of said Tract 35, a
  distance of 1598.67 feet to a found Spike Nail for the northwest
  corner of said Tract 24, and the northeast corner of said Tract 35,
  said Spike Nail being in the center line of Stiff Chapel Road 9an
  asphalt surfaced public road);
         THENCE South 89 degrees 30 minutes 51 seconds East with the
  north line of said Tract 24, and with said road, a distance of
  2041.00 feet to a found 1/2 inch rebar for the northeast corner of
  said Tract 24;
         THENCE South 00 degrees 16 minutes 08 seconds East, with the
  east line of said Tract 24, and with Old Skaggs Road (a gavel
  surfaced public road0, a distance of 3261.34 feet to a found 1/2
  inch rebar for the southeast corner of said Tract 24, and the
  northeast corner of said Dickie Family Trust Tract:
         THENCE North 89 degrees 48 minutes 05 seconds West, with the
  south line of said Tracts 24 and 25, and with the North line of said
  Dickie Family Trust tract, a distance of 3196.90 feet to the POINT
  OF BEGINNING and containing 178.842 acres of land.
         SECTION 3.  (a) The legal notice of the intention to
  introduce this Act, setting forth the general substance of this
  Act, has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a
  copy of this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies,
  officials, or entities to which they are required to be furnished
  under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 313,
  Government Code.
         (b)  The governor, one of the required recipients, has
  submitted the notice and Act to the Texas Commission on
  Environmental Quality.
         (c)  The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has filed
  its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, the
  lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
  representatives within the required time.
         (d)  All requirements of the constitution and laws of this
  state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect
  to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled
  and accomplished.
         SECTION 4.  (a)  If this Act does not receive a two-thirds
  vote of all the members elected to each house, Subchapter C, Chapter
  8314, Special District Local Laws Code, as added by Section 1 of
  this Act, is amended by adding Section 8314.0307 to read as follows:
         Sec. 8314.0307.  NO EMINENT DOMAIN POWER. The district may
  not exercise the power of eminent domain.
         (b)  This section is not intended to be an expression of a
  legislative interpretation of the requirements of Section 17(c),
  Article I, Texas Constitution.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.